Thermal response of human skin epidermis in different skin types to 595-nm laser irradiation and cryogen spray cooling: An ex-vivo study

Tianhong Dai, Brian M. Pikkula, James W. Tunnell, David W. Chang, Bahman Anvari

Research output: Contribution to journalConference articlepeer-review

4 Scopus citations

Abstract

Improved laser treatment of port wine stains is expected by utilizing higher incident dosages, longer pulse durations, and longer wavelengths than those currently used in clinical settings. However, higher incident dosages also increase the risk of nonspecific thermal injury to the epidermis. Using ex-vivo human skin samples, we investigated the thermal response of human skin epidermis in different skin types to 595-nm wavelength laser irradiation at high incident dosages (up to 20 J/cm2) and long pulse durations (1.5 to 40 milliseconds) in conjunction with cryogen spray cooling (CSC). Human skin samples (Fitzpatrick, types I-VI) from consenting adult females undergoing trans-rectus abdominis myocutaneoues flap procedures were irradiated at the incident dosages D0=4, 6, 10, 15, and 20 J/cm2, pulse durations τlaser=1-5, 10, and 40 milliseconds without and with CSC (Refrigerant-134A, spurt duration τCSC=100 milliseconds). Thermal injury to the epidermis was evaluated by histological observations. Experimental results showed that thermal injury to the epidermis could not be avoided in skin type VI even at D0=4 J/cm2 in conjunction with CSC. However, CSC allowed utilization of high incident dosages (15-20 J/cm2) in skin types I-IV. Under the same incident dosage, longer pulse durations led to decreased degree of thermal injury to the epidermis. Threshold values for irradiation parameters that resulted in thermal injury to the epidermis for each skin type were obtained.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1-9
Number of pages9
JournalProceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering
Volume4949
DOIs
StatePublished - 2003
EventLasers in Surgery: Advanced Characterization, Therapeutics, and Systems XIII - San Jose,CA, United States
Duration: Jan 25 2003Jan 26 2003

Keywords

  • Dermatological laser treatment
  • Epidermal protection
  • Port wine stain
  • Pulsed dye laser
  • Selective cooling
  • Selective photothermolysis

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
  • Condensed Matter Physics
  • Computer Science Applications
  • Applied Mathematics
  • Electrical and Electronic Engineering

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